Electro-immobilisation of animals

NCCAW Position Statement

Electro-immobilisation is the use of pulsed, low-frequency electrical current to restrain an animal.

The process produces tetanic contractions of skeletal muscles and therefore voluntary movement is not possible.

There have been claims that it also produces analgesia but there is evidence that it produces significant aversion in animals.

Studies have shown that animals chose to enter certain stalls (where they would be shorn) over stalls in which they were previously subjected to electro-immobilisation.

Physiologically, electro-immobilisation caused greater biological responses than other forms of restraint. Repeated electro-immobilisation did not reduce the physical responses.

Several studies also indicate that electro-immobilisation does not produce analgesia.

NCCAW's position

NCCAW considers that electro-immobilisation is not a means of analgesia or an acceptable restraint of animals on animal welfare grounds.

NCCAW acknowledges that restraining large animals can be difficult, especially when they are uncontrolled. More research is needed into easily used, safe, humane methods of restraint.

This Position Statement was first published in September 1994 and was reviewed by NCCAW on 20 February 2008.  NCCAW made the decision to retain it without amendment.